


Baby's First Christmas

by Diaryofanarcissisticgayman



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, Christmas fic, Fluff, Future Fic, M/M, Parents! Narry, Smut, We've got it all folks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-03
Updated: 2015-02-03
Packaged: 2018-03-10 08:49:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3284261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diaryofanarcissisticgayman/pseuds/Diaryofanarcissisticgayman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry's been in L.A. for nine weeks, leaving NIall to parent their daughter alone. It's Christmas now, and he's finally home. Things don't go according to plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Baby's First Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this when I was still trying to do a 25 days of Christmas challenge, but I got caught up in my other story and never finished it. Now I've decided to put the final chapter of 'What Can't We Do' on hiatus because I'm getting burned out writing chapters the length of novels. I finished and edited this so that I could post it finally, even if it is really late.

“Is everything set up?” Harry whispers.

“For the fifth bloody time Haz, yes. Everything is set up.” Niall groans. “The presents are arranged exactly to your specifications. The tea is half drank and the- god, I can’t believe I’m saying this, the crumpets are nibbled on, even though she’s too young to even know who Santa is. The camera is set up exactly where you asked me to put it, at the exact angle you asked me to put it at. I triple checked it with a level. And you don’t have to whisper, because you aren’t on speakerphone. I’m still in bed.”

“Why are you still in bed?” Harry asks indignantly. “I’ll be home any minute.”

“And I figured you’d want to be the one to wake her up, seeing as you’ve been gone for the last nine weeks.” Niall says, maybe a little too harshly. He’s tired, grouchy, and incredibly horny. None of these are good things to be when your husband is on his way home for your first Christmas as a family. Just hearing Harry’s voice has him on edge in the best and worst ways possible. He briefly considers how inappropriate Harry would find it if he asked for phone sex before deciding it’s better not to bother. They have time now. He can wait a little longer. “Sorry. I’m just-”

“I know Ni. Me too.” Harry sighs. “I’m back now though, for the next six months at the very least. Probably longer.”

“I’ll believe that when I see it.” Niall scoffs. “You can never stay away from L.A. for too long.”

“Excuse me if I like sunshine.” Harry grumbles. “It’s not like I’m just arseing around out there. I have a career.”

“I did too Harry, and now we have a daughter.” Niall says flatly.

“Can we not have this row again right now?” Harry asks quietly. “I just want to have a good Christmas, our first Christmas as a family, without it devolving into screaming and throwing things.”

“Yeah, fine.” Niall sighs. “I’ll be better once you get home. I promise. I just need to see you again. Need to feel you right here with me”

“Well then put on some clothes, because I’m pulling up to our street now.” Harry tells him.

Niall springs out of the bed, trying not to squeal like the teenage girl he feels is currently inhabiting his body would. He sorts through the jumpers in the closet, settling on one of Harry’s from years ago. A horrible brown and black one with bars all over it that Harry loves seeing him in. He shrugs it over his head, keeping his mobile pinned to his shoulder with his chin so he doesn’t miss the sounds of his husband doing absolutely nothing, because he has become that pathetic. He pulls on a pair of joggers after that because the garage is freezing.

He hops out the door on one foot, struggling to make his way to the garage and pull on his sock at the same time. He finally gets it right about halfway there and then he’s running. He rips open the garage door just as Harry steps out of the car. He’s not sure if his phone breaks when it hits the floor, probably, but he’s too busy throwing himself into Harry’s arms to care.

He buries his face in the crook of Harry’s neck, breathing in the smell of his cologne, and his jumper, and the way he just smells like Harry. It’s familiar in a way that brings tears to Niall’s eyes. He rubs them away on Harry’s collar and then stands on his tiptoes to press a sloppy kiss to his husband’s cheek. “I missed you so much.” he mutters.

“Missed you too Ni.” Harry says softly, wrapping Niall in a tight hug that’s still not nearly tight enough. “God, I missed you so bloody much.”

They stay that way for a long time, holding each other like they’re trying to meld into a single entity. Niall can feel Harry’s heartbeat from where his lips are pressed to Harry’s neck. He can feel the slow circles Harry’s hands are rubbing into his back and it’s like he’s home, even though he always was. He can feel the soft kisses Harry is pressing against his hair, and it’s warm even though the garage is cold. Everything slides into place and he isn’t tired or grumpy anymore, hes just content. He’s still horny, but he can push that back down for now. “Happy Christmas Haz.” he mumbles.

“Happy Christmas Niall.” Harry says back.

“We should go get Addi out of bed now.” Niall sighs.

“What’s the matter? Aren’t you excited to start celebrating?” Harry asks.

“Of course I am you sod.” Niall laughs, pulling back to bat at Harry’s chest. “It’s just that I finally got her on a good sleep pattern about the beginning of the month, and she doesn’t usually get up for another hour.”

“She’ll be fine.” Harry says with a smile.

“You’ll regret saying that tomorrow, because you’re the one getting her if she wakes up early.” Niall grins wickedly. “You’re Daddy Number One for a little while.”

“Like that bothers me in the slightest.” Harry scoffs. “I have a lot of time to make up for.”

“You won’t be so eager when she needs to take a nap, or when she decides she doesn’t want whatever food you make, because she wants biscuits instead. She can say less than ten words, super early of course because she’s a genius, and the most important one to her is biscuit, except she says ‘bidcat’.” Niall laughs.

“Is she um- is she going to recognize me?” Harry asks quietly.

“I think so, yeah.” Niall nods. “Show her videos of you every day since we couldn’t really Skype that often with your schedule. It’s only been nine weeks Haz, not a year.”

“Nine weeks is a huge chunk of her life Niall.” Harry pouts.

“Well then let’s go reintroduce you to our daughter, shall we?” Niall says, stepping out of Harry’s arms and pointing towards the door with an open hand.

“I’ll just grab my stuff and-” Harry starts.

“Leave it. We can get it later after you hold Addi. I know you’re dying to.” Niall cuts him off, walking behind him to push him towards the door.

“I am.” Harry laughs. He walks inside quickly, causing Niall to almost tip over before Harry tugs him inside by the wrist. They make their way through the halls until they reach Addison’s room. Harry pushes the door open slowly and walks over to the crib, staring down at their daughter with the biggest grin. He touches her face almost reverently and whispers “Hey baby girl. Daddy is home. You’re so big now.”

Addison opens her eyes slowly, confused by the presence of two people instead of one. Niall tucks her dummy into her mouth, making her smile around it when he makes silly faces at her. She holds her hands up and Niall instinctively reaches forward to pick her up before he remembers that Harry is home. He nudges Harry in the stomach and he gets the idea quickly. He picks her up carefully, like he’s afraid she’ll break if he moves too quickly.

She curls into his chest, grabbing fistfuls of his hair and trying to put them in her mouth past her dummy. Harry grins, tilting his head so she can get a better angle, and Niall rolls his eyes. “You’re bloody ridiculous. You either need to get that cut or put it up when you hold her.” Niall groans. “She’s going to get it completely filthy.”

“It’s cute.” Harry says, waving him off.

“It won’t be.” Niall says in a sing-song voice. As if on cue Addison grips hard and tugs repeatedly on Harry’s curls. He winces and tries to get her hand out, but she leans away from him and pulls harder. “Do I need to say it?”

“If I let you, will you get her hands out of my hair?” Harry squeaks.

“I’ll let you off the hook this time.” Niall laughs, holding his hands up so that Addison loses interest in Harry’s locks and tries to swim through the air to Niall instead. He grabs her before she tips over and blows a raspberry on her stomach which makes her giggle. “Put your hair up and you can have her back.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Harry sighs. He tugs a hairband off of his wrist and does his hair up in a messy bun before holding out his hands and saying “Now gimme.”

“Here you go, back to Daddy Haz.” Niall giggles, passing their daughter over to his husband. “Take care of her for a mo while I go get her some food?”

“But Ni.” Harry whines, elongating the i for what feels like several minutes. “What about presents?”

“After she eats Haz.” Niall sighs. “She has a schedule.”

“But- but presents.” Harry sputters.

“There is not one thing under that tree that is alive.” Niall laughs. “It can wait twenty minutes, because otherwise she’ll get hungry and start crying. Not a great home video.”

“Fine.” Harry pouts.

“Haz, I warned you about this. I’ve told you every day for weeks that things are different than they were when you left.” Niall groans. “Structure is really important at her age.”

“I know.” Harry sighs wearily. “I’m just overexcited.”

“Are you hungry?” Niall asks. “I’m making eggs for me and her, but I can make some for you too if you’re hungry.”

“Sounds brilliant.” Harry smiles gratefully. “Are you sure she should be eating eggs already?”

“If I scramble the shit out of them, yeah.” Niall laughs. “Gotta get them really really tiny and soft, but she loves them.”

“Don’t curse around her.” Harry scolds. “I don’t need my mother hearing her say that word. It’ll give her a heart attack.”

“I say it around her all the time.” Niall shrugs. “You’ve never cared about me cursing before.”

“She wasn’t talking before.” Harry says harshly. “Just, please, keep it under control around her.”

“Alright Haz.” Niall says, not wanting to have another go around before breakfast. He walks out of the room and into the kitchen, grabbing the frying pan out of the dishwasher and setting it on the stove. He gives it a quick spray with oil and then grabs a mixing bowl and the ingredients. Harry walks in and sits at the counter, cooing at Addi and holding her even while she tries to crawl onto the counter. “If you put her in the chair with some cereal she’ll calm down a bit.”

“Yeah, alright.” Harry says quietly.

Niall goes back to beating the eggs until it’s all one texture. He doesn’t add any salt like usual because he knows Harry will just complain about his sodium intake, so he pours it into the pan and sets the flame to low, stirring the mixture with a spatula. He’s not sure when Harry walked up behind him, but Niall doesn’t flinch when he drapes himself over his shoulders, tucking his hands around his waist. “I’m sorry.” Harry mumbles, pressing a kiss to Niall’s neck.

“It’s fine Haz.” Niall responds absentmindedly.

“No it isn’t.” Harry says firmly. “We just need to get back in sync, yeah? I’m not really helping with that. I just expected to come back and have everything be the same.”

“That’s not very realistic.” Niall says, trying with a great deal of difficulty to keep his anger in check. “She’s under a year old and you were gone for a major part of that. Things move quickly when children are young. If you weren’t ready to slow down your career, maybe we should have waited to have a kid.”

“What are you saying?” Harry asks, his voice gone icy.

“I’m saying that we have a daughter Harry.” Niall snaps, turning around shrugging Harry’s arms off of himself. “We have a daughter and she needs both of her parents. I’ve been doing my best on my own for the last nine weeks without any help from a nanny because you refused to let me hire one, but you come home and expect everything to just fit your vision. I needed you here, but you left, so you don’t get to come home after two months and tell me that I’ve been raising OUR daughter wrong. You don’t get to turn up your nose at what I feed her, you don’t get to ask me five times if I set up the video camera, and you don’t get to make me feel like a shit father for saying the word shit around her.”

“Niall-” Harry starts.

“Just finish scrambling the eggs Harry. I’m going to go take a shower and calm down, because right now? Right now, I don’t want to do this. Remember to make them really tiny like rice, or else she’ll choke. And let them cool first or they’ll burn her mouth.” Niall says, pushing the spatula into Harry’s hands and walking out of the room before he can start crying.

He drops his clothes on the bathroom floor, locking the door behind him after he turns on the shower. He doesn’t want Harry coming in right now. The hot water feels like needles hammering into his skin, but it helps distract him from the tears burning his eyes. Once his knee begins to hurt from having it locked, he flips the nozzle that switches from the shower head that he’s using, to the rain shower in the ceiling, and curls up in the corner.

He doesn’t get out of the shower until it starts running cold and his muscles ache from the fetal position he’s been in. He wraps himself up in a towel and looks at himself in the mirror. His roots have grown out way too long because he has no time to get them redyed. His eyes look dull, lacking the shine that they have in his wedding photos. He’s tired and he knows that he looks it. He’s aged five years in the last eleven months.

He steps out of the bathroom and yelps when he sees Harry sitting on the bed. He clutches at his towel and his chest, willing his heart to start back up. “Jesus Harry!” he shouts. “You scared the shit out of me!”

“I knocked on the door to let you know I was here.” Harry says quietly.

“Well I didn’t hear it.” Niall sighs. “I forgot you were back for a minute. Not used to seeing you anymore. Thought somebody had broken in or something.”

“I’m sorry.” Harry apologizes in the same small voice. “God, I’m so sorry Niall.”

“Where’s Addi?” Niall asks, suddenly hyper-aware of the fact he can’t see their daughter anywhere.

“She fell asleep in the chair.” Harry admits. “I tried to come talk to you, but the door was locked.”

“For a good reason.” Niall says harshly. “I needed some time to cool off.”

“Can we talk then?” Harry asks, finally meeting Niall’s eyes. “Without a fight preferably?”

“Just let me get dressed first.” Niall sighs. “I can’t have this conversation in a towel.”

“Okay.” Harry nods. “Do you want me to-”

“You don’t have to go Haz. Nothing you haven’t seen a million times.” Niall says, rolling his eyes.

“I was going to ask if you wanted me to grab you anything.” Harry scoffs. “Like I’d pass up a chance to look at you starkers.”

“You’re an idiot.” Niall laughs. He drops the towel, not missing the way Harry licks his lips unconsciously as soon as he does. He saunters over to the drawer where he keeps his t-shirts, tugging on Harry’s decade old Ramones shirt he wore all the time when they’d just formed One Direction. Niall had stolen it from Harry ages ago, keeping it to wear because it drives his husband wild. He pulls up a pair of joggers, smiling because he knows the sharp intake of breath Harry just took is definitely because he skipped the underwear. “You were saying?”

“You play fucking dirty.” Harry growls, crossing the room in two steps and pulling Niall into a deep kiss. It’s not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. There’s anger from both of them, a driving need to dominate the other. Niall directs them over to the bed, landing on top of Harry with a groan. Harry breaks apart from him and asks “How wrong is it if we shag right now?”

“Extremely.” Niall sighs. “We either need to talk or go take care of Addi. You can’t hear her in the kitchen from back here.”

“I knew you’d say that.” Harry groans. “And you’re right. It’s just been so bloody long.”

“Believe me, I’m well aware.” Niall mumbles. “I hate it, but we can do this later.”

“So... Talk?” Harry asks.

“Talk.” Niall nods.

He rolls over off Harry and sits up, wishing he’d thought to take something for his knee before he left the bathroom. Harry sits up next to him, picking at the loose strand on the sleeve of his jumper. “I didn’t mean to make you feel like that.” he says quietly. “I never meant to make you feel like you are anything short of an amazing father and husband. I know I put you through the ringer with this trip and I have no right to come back and complain about everything, but this was hard on me too Niall. I missed you both every second of every day. At least you got to be with Addi. I missed everything.

“And I know that’s no excuse for the way I’ve been acting, but it’s all I have. I missed nine weeks with you and our daughter and everything has changed. She’s talking and eating eggs and on a schedule. And you- You and I are so far apart even though we’re sitting right next to each other. We’re completely off kilter and that makes me angry, because in the ten years we’ve known each other we’ve always managed to be in sync. Even when we were apart for months at a time we always managed to fall back into things so easily.” Harry explains.

“It’s going to take time Harry.” Niall sighs. “We’re not teenagers anymore. Our lives have even more going on now than they did when we were on world tours with the lads and a boatload of crew members. We’re parents and we’re married. Married people fight. Lord knows my parents did. But we’ll get past this. We just need time.”

“I don’t want it to take any more time.” Harry groans. “We spent so much time apart already. I just need this one thing to work. I need to feel like you and I are on the same page again.”

“We are.” Niall says, knocking his shoulder with Harry’s. “We’re just a few paragraphs apart because you read so slowly.”

“At least I read something other than sports rags.” Harry laughs.

“Oh yeah, because all your hipster shit is so great.” Niall giggles.

“Pride and Prejudice isn’t ‘hipster shit’ Niall. It’s a classic.” Harry pouts.

“You’re a classic.” Niall says with a grin.

“Your face is a classic.” Harry throws back with a smile.

“Your mum is a-” Niall starts.

“Don’t go there Niall.” Harry scoffs. “Or I’ll tell her, and she’ll think you called her old.”

“Don’t.” Niall pleads. “I’ll lose my spot as her favorite child.”

“You so aren’t her favorite child.” Harry pouts again.

“I kind of am. She told me so last week when her and Gem came over to see Addi.” Niall says with a wicked grin.

“That traitor!” Harry hisses.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you Haz.” Niall says quietly.

“I’m sorry I deserved to be yelled at.” Harry responds.

“I shouldn’t have been so harsh. You were trying to apologize.” Niall tells him.

“And I was being a right twat.” Harry says.

“Are we really doing this?” Niall asks. “Are we that couple? The couple that fights about their fights?”

“Apparently.” Harry shrugs.

“Let’s not be. Let’s just go get our daughter and unwrap some presents.” Niall offers.

“Or I could unwrap you.” Harry grins, waggling his eyebrows.

“Later Haz.” Niall groans. “Everyone will be here at noon, and we have a lot to do before that, including opening the billion presents you sent.”

“So responsible.” Harry pouts. “Alright, we’ll put me riding you through the mattress on the back burner.”

“You are a bloody difficult man to deal with.” Niall sighs. “Get to the kitchen Haz.”

“Ooh, bossy.” Harry giggles. “Will you spank me if I don’t?”

Niall stands up and walks out the door, trying desperately to will down his growing erection. Harry is being cruel with how he’s riling Niall up, but in a good way. It feels more normal, like the way they used to tease each other before they were married, before Addison. His boner is mostly gone by the time he reaches the kitchen, and that helps his mood just a little bit. Addison is definitely awake though, tossing cereal all over the floor and giggling. She looks up to see Niall and squeals “Da!”

“Hey girly.” Niall grins. “Hope that nap didn’t throw you off to badly, or Daddy Haz isn’t going to get any sleep tonight.”

“Here’s hoping.” Harry whispers in Niall’s ear, sending shivers down his spine. “Not because her sleep schedule being thrown off, but because of you.”

“I know what you meant Haz.” Niall laughs.

“Because I want to have sex.” Harry explains.

“That was quite apparent.” Niall says, rolling his eyes exaggeratedly.

“All night.” Harry says with a cheeky smile.

“I swear to god, Haz, go hold our baby and stop being a horny twat.” Niall groans.

“I can’t. We’re an endangered species, the Horny Twat.” Harry laughs. “We have to breed or we’ll die out.”

“Oh my god.” Niall scoffs. “Your mind works in the weirdest ways.”

“Don’t let me go extinct Ni.” Harry pouts.

“Tonight.” Niall says pointedly. “Tonight when the boys, and our bloody mums, and everyone else goes home, we can do whatever you want. Even that one thing you like.”

“With the-” Harry starts eagerly.

“Yes that.” Niall nods. “But only if you behave yourself for the rest of the day.”

“How well behaved?” Harry asks, his tone calculating.

“Extremely.” Niall says with a smile.

“Define extremely.” Harry counters.

“No nitpicking, no being cheeky, and you give Addi over when somebody asks to hold her.” Niall says firmly.

“But I’m always cheeky.” Harry pouts.

“Yes, but I haven’t done anything, and I mean anything, in nine weeks.” Niall admits. “I might explode if you just wink at me the right way.”

“Niall Horan-Styles didn’t wank for over two months?” Harry asks with a dramatic gasp. “I didn’t see any news reports of flying pigs, but I need to check again apparently.”

“I didn’t do anything because it’s no fun without you.” Niall says quietly. “Got used to having you around for that, so every time I tried I just ended up lonely and sad.”

“Oh, Niall.” Harry says softly. “You should have told me. We could have set up a Skype call or something. Maybe just phone sex even.”

“I didn’t want to be that guy.” Niall shrugs. “Too desperate.”

“Well then you have a lot of orgasms to make up for, and I’ll do my best to get you off to a good start tonight.” Harry says with a mischievous grin.

“No being cheeky Haz.” Niall groans. “Just- For the next twelve hours forget I have a cock. Don’t think about it, don’t talk about it, and for the love of god, don’t touch it.”

“Twelve hours?” Harry moans. “Twelve hours?”

“Actually it’s closer to fifteen, but we may be able to kick people out early if you claim you have jet lag.”

“Oh god.” Harry gasps. “Jet lag! I’m going to go down so hard around eleven.”

“You were supposed to sleep on the plane.” Niall huffs.

“I did, but you know how it is when I don’t have you there with me.” Harry pouts. “It feels like I barely got any.”

“Then we should get through presents, and then you can pop off for a kip before everybody gets here.” Niall offers.

“Are you sure?” Harry asks.

“Of course.” Niall nods. “Gotta have you be awake for tonight, or it’s called assault.”

“That is so disturbing.” Harry says with a shudder.

“I don’t seem to remember you minding any of the many times I’ve woken you up with your prick in my mouth.” Niall smirks.

“Oh.” Harry says with a blush. “I thought you meant you’d be- Like you’d be proper fucking me. Never mind.”

“Just go get the baby Haz.” Niall laughs, trying to keep it under control when Harry pouts directly at him the entire way over to the highchair. His pout turns into a grin though when Addi reaches up towards him. Harry plucks her out of the chair carefully and tucks her up against his hip. Her feet kick wildly and Niall knows she’s about to cry, but Harry picks the dummy up off the tray and pops it in her mouth. She squeals her approval and Niall can’t help but smile at how sweet it is. “Go get her set up in the living room while I make us some tea?”

“Sure.” Harry nods. “Don’t take too long though. You know how I am around presents.”

 

Harry has fallen asleep on the couch, hands still wrapped around his empty mug of tea. Niall takes it from him and then lays him down on his side before covering him up with a throw. Harry will probably whinge at him later because he stuck to the leather, but Niall is glad to have him in sight while he downloads the video they’d shot onto his laptop.

Addi is playing happily with the absolute mountain of toys everyone they knew had spoiled her with. Of course Niall and Harry had tried to be responsible with it, but they got carried away. You only get one first Christmas and they wanted it to be perfect for her. If that meant spending way too much on a bunch of toys they don’t really have space for, so be it. At least she has enough clothes to get her through university, provided that she doesn’t grow more than a foot or so.

Niall snuggles up in the ridiculous all-cashmere jumpsuit Harry had gotten him. It’s annoyingly comfortable, even if he feels like a posh twat for wearing it. There are things strewn about the living room, Niall’s new watch that needs to be adjusted, Harry’s new collection of scarves, two pairs of matching Ray Bans because they’d both picked out the same pair for each other. Louis is going to give them so much shit for that one.

The horrible grandfather clock that Harry had insisted on keeping chimes in the corner letting him know that he has two hours before the guests are supposed to start arriving. He’s torn between cooking or cleaning first, but decides to cook because he can clean while food is in the oven. He scoops up Addison, handing her the stuffed goat she was playing with, courtesy of Liam, because he’s a dork and thinks it’s cute for some reason. Niall secretly likes it too though, because it reminds him of the Derby Ram.

She seems satisfied enough when he puts her back in the highchair, content to play by herself while Niall pulls out the things he had prepared the night before. He already has a goose stuffed and ready to go in the oven after he bastes it. He hates goose, but Harry had really wanted a traditional Christmas, and Niall has a ham as a backup. He also has several Cornish game hens and Anne’s recipe on the counter.

He’s always been a decent cook, but he’s gotten much better in the three years he’s been married to Harry, and especially in the eleven months since they had Addi. He follows the recipe exactly and pops them in the second over he’s glad they decided on adding. It’s the biggest crowd they’ve ever hosted for something like this; Liam and Sophia, their two kids, Louis and Eleanor, their son, Zayn and his son since Perrie can’t make it, Anne, Robin, Gemma, Bobby, Maura, Greg, Denise, and Theo. All together they make twenty and Niall isn’t sure they have enough food.

It had seemed like plenty when the checkout girl had gaped at his three carts of ingredients. It had seemed like too much yesterday when Niall had started prepping everything he could ahead of time. Now though, it looks ridiculously insufficient for twenty people to eat. Well, nineteen, since Addi can’t eat anything he’s making. Once he gets everything he can in the oven, he sighs and takes a minute to himself before going into the living room to clean.

He carries Addison and her chair into the room and then goes about gathering everything he can up in his arms. He pushes the toys into a chest they had originally bought for blankets, but has since become the property of Addison. He puts all the clothes in a couple bags which he hauls to Addison’s room and tucks in her closet to be sorted later.

He hears a high pitched wail from the living room and takes off at a run, cursing under his breath. By the time he reaches the room the screaming has stopped and Harry is standing up and holding Addi. Niall almost falls over when he stops, his top half struggling with his bottom half on whether or not to keep moving. Harry coos over Addi, playing with her goat and teasing it in and out of her hands. “She dropped her toy.” Harry says without looking at him.

“Sorry.” Niall sighs. “I’ll take her. You can go back to sleep.”

“And miss out on this?” Harry asks with a sleepy smile. “I’ll manage without.”

“You’ve only been sleeping for an hour Haz.” Niall says quietly. “You still have time.”

“I know, but I’d rather spend it with my two favorite people in the world than sleeping.” Harry tells him. “I didn’t actually mean to fall asleep when I did, even if it was the plan.”

“I know.” Niall chuckles. “You fell asleep sitting up. With a cup in your hands.”

“Well now I just feel silly.” Harry laughs. “Can you uh- can you make me some coffee?”

“I’ll make a whole pot and keep it on warm.” Niall says, walking past him into the kitchen.

“You’re a godsend.” Harry says, following after him. “An absolute angel.”

“Flattery isn’t getting you into my pants Haz.” Niall giggles.

“Darn.” Harry sighs.

“Nice attempt though.” Niall offers. “It might score you bonus points later.”

“I’m not allowed to think of a certain something, so it would really help if you didn’t mention later.” Harry says, throwing glances downwards and then back up to Niall. “Because I am holding our eleven month old daughter and it would feel incredibly inappropriate if your certain something popped into my head and made my certain something not soft.”

“You’re like a teenager sometimes.” Niall groans, scooping coffee grounds into their machine. “I swear, nobody would ever know you’re closer to thirty than you are to twenty.”

“We have an agreement!” Harry hisses. “We don’t say that word in this house and I don’t mention your snoring.”

“You’ve got a few good years left in you Haz.” Niall laughs, pressing the button that starts their coffee maker brewing. “Then I’ll divorce you on January thirty-first two-thousand-and-twenty-four for a younger, prettier man.”

“I knew I should have had you sign a pre-nuptial agreement.” Harry grumbles.

“I’m independently rich.” Niall scoffs. “And don’t worry about Addi, she’ll love her new daddy very much and he’ll have been fifteen when she was born, so they can talk about useless things while I admire his abs.”

“Stop being mean to me.” Harry whines. “And where’s my coffee?”

“It takes a while to make a whole pot.” Niall shrugs. “You want anything extra in it?”

“Cream and sugar.” Harry smiles.

“Your loss.” Niall laughs. “I got this hazelnut cocoa creamer and it tastes amazing.”

“Ooh, that please.” Harry squeals.

“Too late.” Niall grins evilly. “You just wanted cream and sugar, so that’s what you’ll get.”

“Niall!” Harry whines, stomping his foot childishly, which sends Addi into a fit of giggles on his hip.

“Don’t be petulant.” Niall scoffs. “I’ll get you the bloody creamer if you ask nicely.”

“Normal-nicely or Haz-nicely?” Harry asks. “Because Haz-nicely involves my mouth and your certain something.”

“Haz.” Niall warns.

“It’s a legitimate question.” Harry pouts.

“Not while you’re holding our daughter.” Niall glares. “Can you stop being bloody cheeky for five minutes?”

“It’s hard.” Harry groans. “I like flirting with you and saying inappropriate things about your pretty pink-”

“Okay, fine.” Niall concedes. “One comment per hour, and not in front of Addi or our mothers. Use it wisely.”

“Now that I can work with.” Harry says with a lopsided grin.

“I swear, you get on me for saying ‘shit’ and then you go around and talk about my prick while you’re holding her.” Niall mutters under his breath.

“I was going to say cheeks.” Harry giggles, leaning in to peck at Niall’s cheek, which is indeed quite pink. “Pretty pink cheeks. Which ones are up to you to decide.”

“Already breaking the rules.” Niall clucks, reaching out and twisting Harry’s nipple as punishment. He doesn’t even have to look to find it, because he’s done it so many times. “Nothing in front of Addi.”

“Ow you little shi-in splint!” Harry yelps, catching himself in time, not that Niall gives a shit if they curse in front of Addi. He’s still not planning on amending his vocabulary for the sake of his baby not offending people. Besides, he thinks it would be kind of funny. “Double-entendres are only half cheeky.”

“Which is why I’m only going to pinch half your nipples.” Niall grins, darting his hand out and pinches Harry’s other ‘real nipple’. “Half a punishment for half a broken rule. Don’t worry, I’ll kiss them better later.”

“Cruel.” Harry says, narrowing his eyes. “Why do you get to be cheeky and I don’t?”

“Because there was no rule against me doing it.” Niall shrugs. “I could go straight past cheeky and walk out here in a speedo and handcuffs, because you never negotiated any terms at all.”

“Oh good god.” Harry groans. He leans against the refrigerator and bangs his head lightly on the door. Addi giggles at that, clapping her hands in the slow deliberate way Niall has been teaching her because she used to accidentally slap herself in the face if she got overexcited. “You can’t say things like that. I don’t have the brainpower to fight the images right now.”

“And now you know how I feel.” Niall laughs. “I’ll need to get in there if you want the creamer.”

“I completely forgot about that.” Harry sighs, stepping back from the fridge.

“That’s because you’re exhausted.” Niall says, kissing him on the cheek. “You should have gone back to sleep when I offered you the chance.”

“Didn’t want to miss any more time with you.” Harry says. He strokes Niall’s cheek and then leans in, pressing a chaste kiss to his husband’s lips. It doesn’t last more than a couple seconds, but it makes Niall’s stomach flutter, like the first time all over again. Harry grunts and pulls away, staring down at Addi who Niall realizes is slapping her father’s arm. “Ow! Hey, no hitting.” Harry whines.

“My Da!” Addi screams furiously. “My Da!”

“I think she’s jealous.” Harry laughs.

“Aw, baby, come here.” Niall says, holding his arms out for her. She crawls over to him, pouting angrily at Harry. “He’s your Da too love.”

“You Da!” Addi says, folding her arms over her chest and scowling. This way she looks just like Harry when he gets grumpy. When they decided to have a child Niall knew that it was more important to Harry that it be his child biologically. It’s so evident looking at her that she’s his. She has his big green eyes and pouty lips. She also has his curly hair, but it’s a much lighter shade of brown right now. She points an accusatory finger at Harry and wails “My Da!”

“We’re both your daddies Addison.” Niall says gently. “That’s Daddy Haz.”

“You Da.” Addi says firmly.

“Addi, you remember Daddy Haz.” Niall says, avoiding looking at Harry because he knows that he’ll see so much pain. This is exactly what Harry was afraid of, and Niall knows it. “Remember the video? Remember the song?”

“Sonn?” Addi asks, cocking her head to the side. Her eyes widen with realization and she claps. “Sonn! Sonn!”

“Come with me.” Niall tells Harry, holding his hand out. Harry grabs it loosely, looking absolutely devastated. He walks into the living room and turns on the telly, quickly queuing up a very special video. “She watches this every day, because it’s her favorite. She even hums along.”

“What are you-” Harry starts to ask. He’s cut off by his own voice coming through the surround sound system. It’s a song they’ve heard so many times over the years, but this version is special. Niall hears Harry choke back a sob, and slips his hand into his husband’s. “Our wedding video?”

“She woke up while I was watching it a few weeks ago, and she loved your song. Like I said, she watches it every day.” Niall explains. Addi is humming along to Harry’s solo arrangement of Little Things, swaying on his lap to the music. “Addi, who is that?”

“Da!” she squeals happily.

“That’s right.” Niall nods. “And who is this right here?”

“Da?” Addi asks curiously.

“I think you should sing it for her. Help her make the connection.” Niall says gently. “You look different from when you left because of your tan, and different from the video because of your hair. But your voice is the same.”

“Do you really think that would help?” Harry asks, his voice breaking with every word. “Will she- will she remember me if I do that? Will she- love me again?”

“Haz she still loves you, she just doesn’t recognize you.” Niall tells him, squeezing his hand. “She knows the man in the video is her Da, but she doesn’t realize he’s you.”

“So should I just-” Harry asks.

“Not yet. She flips out if anything interrupts the song.” Niall tells him.

“Okay.” Harry nods.

“Then again- it might be really interesting to hear you harmonize with yourself.” Niall laughs. “Totally trippy.”

“You would.” Harry chuckles. It’s wet and a little raspy, but Niall knows it’s genuine. Harry is clinging onto any piece of hope right now, and Niall just prays this works. “I’ll wait. I don’t want to risk upsetting her any more than I already did.”

“Okay Haz.” Niall says quietly.

Addi hums along with the rest of the song, laughing when the camera pans to Niall afterwards because he’s totally crying. She always finds that funny, and Niall thinks she may be terrifyingly like her father, because Harry laughs too. “I forgot that you cried.” Harry giggles.

“It was our song.” Niall pouts. “It was sweet and romantic and you’re an arse.”

“A sweet romantic arse.” Harry smiles, nudging Niall in the ribs.

“Just sing for your daughter Styles.” Niall grumbles.

“Alright, alright. It’s Horan-Styles, but I’ll let it go.” Harry laughs. “Give her here.”

Niall plops their daughter in Harry’s lap, facing her father of course. She looks up at him curiously, as if she’s already piecing together that he is indeed the man in the video. Harry clears his throat and then begins to sing. It floods Niall with memories. Their wedding, and the way he’d started to tear up when Harry took the stage and sang it directly to him. The way he and Harry had always sang the song to each other during their second tour, when they had first started dating secretly. Harry getting the bloody tattoo for Niall after the rumors of his sleeping with Kimberly Stewart. The numerous showers Harry had taken while Niall pretended to be asleep so he could listen and smile.

It wasn’t a song they had written together, but it had always been their song. It had always held a special meaning for them. And now it has an even more special meaning because Harry is sitting here, in their house, singing it to their daughter. Niall is fighting back tears again, just like he had three years ago. Harry finishes the last note and Addison squeals “Da!”

Harry is the one crying now, holding Addi to his chest while she pushes little open-mouthed baby kisses to his face. “You Da!” Addi squeals again. “Sonn!”

“I think she wants you to sing it again Haz.” Niall chuckles, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

 

By half one everyone has finally arrived and the place is a mad house. There are four children under the age of five running underfoot, and, of course, Louis is just encouraging it. Harry and Addi have been inseparable since she realized who he was, making him sing Little Things until his voice started to give out. He’s followed the agreement, passing her to anyone who asks, but she throws a fit every time until she gets back into Harry’s arms.

Liam is sitting on the counter, kicking his feet out and smiling while he steals chestnuts from Niall’s bowl. “Payno, I swear to god.” Niall growls. “There’s not going to be enough for everyone else.”

“I’m hungry.” Liam pouts.

“You’re always hungry lately. It’s why you’ve got that belly.” Niall smirks, pointing at the small amount of pudge that has built up around Liam’s stomach.

“It’s sympathy weight.” Liam grins. “Sophia is pregnant again. It’s a secret though, so shush.”

“Oh dear bloody fucking god.” Niall groans. “Do you two ever stop?”

“Nope.” Liam giggles.

“Well congratulations I guess.” Niall sighs.

“Congratulations for what?” Harry asks, coming up behind Niall and stealing a chestnut.

“On Liam being a bloody splooge machine.” Niall laughs.

“Niall!” Liam hisses with a scowl.

“Oh please, everyone already knows.” Harry says with a laugh. “We spent years on tour together. Seen more than my fair share of your spunk Li.”

“No!” Liam groans. “Sophia is pregnant. Niall is just being gross about it.”

“But it’s a secret.” Niall giggles. “Even if he’s telling everyone.”

“I don’t want your husband thinking I’m sitting here talking to you about- about that.” Liam says with an angry blush. “And it is a secret. I haven’t told Zayn or Tommo yet.”

“But you work with Louis every day.” Harry points out.

“Yeah, which means I know how well he keeps a secret.” Liam sighs. “And you know how Zayn is. He’ll tell Pez and then it’ll be everywhere within days.”

“Why keep it a secret?” Niall asks.

“Because Sophia wants to.” Liam shrugs. “She hated all the attention from the media with Preston and Caroline.”

“Sophia! Liam is in here telling all your secrets!” Harry shouts into the living room, turning back on Liam with a wicked grin. “You should go handle that. I hear pregnant women can have nasty tempers.”

“I’m going to kill your husband.” Liam says to Niall, scooting off the counter and running to the other room to try and do damage control.

“Just don’t hurt Addi!” Niall laughs after him. “You should stop teasing him Haz. He’s sensitive.”

“Yeah, but I needed a mo alone with just you.” Harry laughs. “Addi nodded off so I gave her to my sister.”

“Lend me a hand?” Niall asks, gesturing towards the sausages and bacon. “Need to do the pigs in a blanket, but I’m behind on the brussels sprouts and you and Liam keep stealing my chestnuts, so I have to roast some more.”

“Niall.” Harry says quietly.

“And I haven’t even started on the potatoes. I’m so behind.” Niall sighs. “I’m going to have to push dinner back by an hour at least, which means the kids will start throwing a fit.”

“Niall.” Harry says again.

“And Louis is running around like a madman. Theo won’t put down that damn game which is making Greg be an arse. Mum and Da are getting antsy, which means if they drink too much, or not enough, they’ll start having a row. At least your family is behaving themselves.” Niall mumbles.

Harry wraps a hand around Niall’s wrist, flexing it so he drops the spoon he’s using to stir the bread sauce. Before he can ask what Harry is doing he’s turned roughly and pinned against the counter. Harry cuts off any question forming in Niall’s throat by pressing their lips together. This time is much more intense, and there’s the added benefit of not having an infant screaming at them. Niall takes a second to steady himself and then melts into it.

Harry’s hand cups his face, tilting it to the side so he can deepen the kiss. Niall is torn between moaning and crying with how much he’s missed this. They used to spend entire mornings in bed, satisfied to kiss lazily until they had to get up and shower because they were sweaty and gross. Niall has no regrets about having Addison, she’s the greatest thing that’s ever happened to him, but he misses the intimacy with his husband that has taken a back seat since she was born. He misses the slow, lazy, all morning long kisses. This is equally as good though.

Harry backs up just an inch and sighs contentedly. “Thank you, for everything you’re doing and have done. Thank you for putting up with me, not just today, but for the last eight years.”

“Ten years.” Niall laughs. “I put up with your shit for two years before we started dating too. Nothing really changed that much just because we added shagging and snogging to our list of everyday activities.”

“Ten years then.” Harry says, rolling his eyes. “I’m trying to have a moment with you Niall. Don’t be a butthead about it.”

“Haz, if you get sweet and soppy, then I’ll get all weepy, and Louis will make fun of me. And then all the kids and my brother will make fun of me. Pretty soon everyone in the house will be laughing at me and I’ll get drunk and pass out, because that’s better than getting mad and ruining our daughter’s first Christmas by throwing her godfather through a window, because Louis is a prick.” Niall explains.

“You’ve really thought this out.” Harry laughs. “Alright, I’ll keep the sweet and soppy to myself for now. Even the part about how I absolutely adore that you watch our wedding video when you’re alone, because you are secretly the most sentimental and amazing man I have ever had the privilege to know.”

“Stop.” Niall groans. “You’re doing it anyway.”

“I could tell you about how hard I am instead, because you’re pinned up against this counter and it would be so easy to slip my hand down your trousers, like this.” Harry grins, shoving his hand into Niall’s pants, wrapping a hand around him before Niall can resist. Niall wants to push him away, wants to tell him to stop because anybody could walk in, but instead he moans. He moans like a teenager, rutting up into the warmth of Harry’s grip before he can stop himself. “Think you can keep quiet for a couple minutes?”

Niall nods, biting his lip to stop any noise from escaping. Harry moves his hand quickly, tugging Niall off like it’s the end of the world. It’s fast and dirty, like it used to be when they were young. Niall cums embarrassingly quickly, the product of not orgasming for over two months, spasming and letting out a groan that Harry quickly muffles with his own mouth. He milks Niall through it, taking good care of him and holding him up so he can go boneless. Harry breaks apart from him with a giggle and asks “Feel better?”

“I can’t believe we just did that.” Niall sighs.

“Go change your trousers, I’ll take care of the food.” Harry smiles. He pulls his hand out of Niall’s trousers. It’s absolutely drenched in jizz so thick that Niall can’t even make out the tattoos that he knows by heart. Harry’s face splits into a wolfish grin. He doesn’t break eye contact with Niall as he brings his thumb to his mouth, poking it in and then sucking until there’s no sign of cum on that one finger. Niall feels like his heart stops for just a second, then Harry smirks and says “Someone is going to see that stain in your trousers if you don’t get a move on Ni.”

Niall nods stupidly, darting down the hallway until he reaches his bedroom. He shuts the door behind himself and breathes a sigh of relief because no one saw him on his way back. “Did you piss yourself?” a heavy, familiar voice asks.

“Zayn!” Niall yelps, covering himself up with a shirt from the floor. “What are you doing in my bedroom?”

“Nursing a headache.” Zayn shrugs, sitting up on the bed. “Louis and the kids are all really loud and I need time to let the paracetamol kick in.”

“We have a guest bedroom you could recover in.” Niall groans.

“Yeah, but then I’d have missed out on you apparently pissing yourself.” Zayn smirks.

“It’s not piss, now get out of here.” Niall hisses.

“Don’t make me tell Maura you’re being rude to a guest.” Zayn laughs. “And if it isn’t piss, then what is it?”

Niall flushes, telling Zayn everything he doesn’t need to know. Zayn howls with laughter, falling back against the bed and kicking his legs like it’s the funniest thing he’s ever heard. “You- You creamed your pants?” Zayn cackles. “What are you, fourteen?”

“Harry tugged me off, alright?” Niall growls. “We haven’t seen each other in over two months, so my husband wanked me off because he’s horny, and I’m pathetic and let him.”

“Settle down Niall.” Zayn smiles softly. “I’m not judging you. I know how it is. I just think it’s funny is all, that you two couldn’t wait until we all left to get some.”

“Well, that was the plan, but then his hand was in my trousers and- yeah. Things didn’t go according to plan.” Niall sighs.

“They so rarely do.” Zayn nods. “Do I still have to leave, or can you change in the bathroom so I don’t have to deal with that whole mess out there right now?”

“That’s fine.” Niall says, waving him off. “But if you tell anyone about this I’ll beat you to death.”

“Your secret is safe with me.” Zayn smiles.

“I mean it. Ever. Especially not Pez, because she’ll tell the girls and nobody will ever come over here again, which will make Harry incredibly sad.” Niall says firmly.

“I’m a bank vault. It’s not like I’m Louis or something.” Zayn laughs. “Or Liam, pretending like we can’t all tell Sophia is preggers again, and like he isn’t going around telling everyone but me and Tommo.”

“Because you and El have the chatty spouses.” Niall points out. “Very very chatty spouses.”

“Yeah, we do.” Zayn grins. “How are you and Haz doing?”

“Zayn, my cum is drying in my pants, and Harry is trying to handle a meal for twenty people. I don’t have time to discuss the status of my marriage right now.” Niall laughs.

“Later then.” Zayn laughs, laying back down and shoving a pillow over his head.

Niall is grateful that Zayn is an understanding man. He grabs a new outfit out of his closet and new pants out of the drawer and then slips into the bathroom. He changes quickly, redoing his hair because it’s completely mussed. It took a minute to clean himself up, but that’s to be expected. He walks back out, smiles at Zayn who’s snoring softly on the bed, and goes back to the kitchen. Harry glances up at him over the stove and grins. “What took you so long?” he asks.

“Zayn was in the bedroom.” Niall shrugs.

“I’m trying to figure out how Zayn could keep you in our bedroom for ten minutes, but my mind keeps going to dirty places.” Harry scowls.

“He wanted to know why I had a map of Asia on the front of my trousers.” Niall laughs. “Don’t worry Haz, I’m all yours. Mostly I was just cleaning up the mess you made.”

“Took me two minutes to scrub my hand clean.” Harry giggles.

“And here I thought you’d just suck it all off.” Niall smirks

“Didn’t want to fill up on dessert before dinner.” Harry grins.

 

“Should we call them a cab?” Harry asks in a whisper. Everyone has left except for Louis, Eleanor, and their son Parker. It’s just a waiting game now, but the stakes feel massive. “Tommo, mate, do you want us to call you a cab?”

“I’ll be fine in a little while.” Louis mumbles. He’s laid across the kitchen counter, face pressed so hard into the tile it’s leaving marks. He’s not drunk, but he is exhausted. Louis just falls wherever he can find space, and apparently the space he chose was their bar. “Coffee will kick in, and then I can drive us home.”

“Are you sure?” Niall asks cautiously. A tired Louis is an angry Louis, and tired Louis is currently within reaching distance of several sharp instruments. “We’ll pay and have your car delivered tomorrow. It’s no trouble.”

“I don’t want to ride in a cab Niall.” Louis glares. “I want to drive my very pretty, very expensive Bentley. I just need time to recover, because unlike you two, I am old. Not like you see me walking around wanking people off in the kitchen like a teenager.”

“Zayn.” Niall hisses.

“He didn’t tell me.” Louis laughs. “I saw you two, which, for your information, I could definitely have gone without. Luckily I noticed what you two were doing in time to steer the kids away before you had an audience for your little tug off.”

“Well- Thank you for that.” Harry says with a frown. “And here I thought we got away with it.”

“There were twenty people here.” Louis says with a halfhearted shrugging motion. “Someone was bound to notice, and you’re lucky it was me instead of someone like, I don’t know, one of your mothers. Or Gemma. Or Theo. Or literally anyone who hasn’t already walked in on far more than an ‘I missed you’ handy.”

“Is it too much to hope you’ll keep it to yourself?” Niall asks, completely defeated.

“Just don’t ever do it around my dinner again, and we’ll be good.” Louis laughs. “I couldn’t eat anything after I saw Harold suck it off his finger.”

“You ate three plates of food.” Harry scoffs.

“All of it was stuff other people brought.” Louis says with a pointed glare. “You know what I meant.”

“You’re acting like I have a disease or something Louis.” Niall glares. “Harry scrubbed his hands clean before touching the food. Nothing was infected with my jizz.”

“Niall!” Harry hisses, nodding his head down towards Addison who is somehow still awake in his arms. She’s tired, playing with her own fingers and suckling on her dummy, but she’s definitely awake. She looks even more like Harry this way, her hair mussed and her eyelids droopy. It’s really cute having them both side by side to compare like this. “I’ll accept the cursing, but the j-word and all it’s counterparts are where I draw the line.”

“Alright.” Niall nods. That he can do. It’s not something that comes up in everyday conversation, so it’ll be easy enough to amend. “That’s fine with me.”

“What about, like, baby batter?” Louis laughs. “Or man milk? Ooh, or love liquor? Prick pudding maybe? Oh man, I’ve got a million ideas. I can come up with a list of family friendly euphemisms for cum.”

“Ni, take Addison to the other room.” Harry says icily, his face set in stone. “I’m going to have a talk with her uncle Louis.”

Niall obeys immediately, not wanting their daughter to see the gratuitous violence that is about to happen. He grabs Addi, tucking her into the position she likes to fall asleep in against his chest, and scurries to the living room. Eleanor is sitting on the couch with a pleasant smile, probably feeling as buzzed as she looks, and stroking Parker’s hair while he sleeps. She pats the seat next to her and Niall takes it gladly just as Louis screeches “Harry. Haz, mate! It was just a joke! Don’t- ow! Ow! Ow, stop that! Ow! I have a wife and child!”

Niall snickers and Eleanor turns to him and asks “Does he deserve it?”

“Kind of, yeah.” Niall nods.

“Alright then.” Eleanor giggles. “I’ve been wanting to do it all day. He’s been a total prat.”

“That’s our boy.” Niall nods.

“She looks just like Harry now.” Eleanor coos, reaching over and playing with Addi’s toes.

“She really does, doesn’t she?” Niall smiles. She’s almost asleep now, her hands resting on her stomach and her dummy barely moving. Her eyes are still open, but they’re glazed over. She’ll be out any minute. “I’ll never understand how we got so lucky.”

“You two deserved it.” Eleanor says softly. “You guys fought so hard for your relationship after coming out. Nobody is better suited to be parents than you two are. You’re the most stable couple I’ve ever met, even if you two are a bit off today.”

“You noticed that huh?” Niall asks.

“It’s hard not to notice when you two are even slightly off sync, but I’m sure it’s nothing that won’t be back to normal in a few days.” Eleanor tells him with a smile.

“I wasn’t so sure this morning. We had the one of the worst rows of our entire relationship, but as the day has gone on it’s feeling better and better.” Niall admits.

“That happens.” Eleanor says sympathetically. “Especially when you’re apart for a while, or the kids are young like Addi. If you want, we can take her for a day sometime soon, so that you two can take some time for yourselves.”

“I’ll talk to Haz about it and we’ll see. It’s going to be hard to tear him away from her for a day after he was gone for so long.” Niall sighs. “I on the other hand love the idea. A day to reconnect with my idiot husband is exactly what I need.”

Louis and Harry tumble through the kitchen doorway rolling around until Harry pins Louis to the ground. “Ha!” Harry laughs triumphantly. “I can still kick your arse old man! Now, Ni, what was that you were saying about your idiot husband?”

“Later Haz.” Niall giggles. “Let Louis up off the floor. He’s obviously awake enough to drive home now.”

“I think your big fat husband is crushing my spleen!” Louis groans. “I’m going to die, and my cause of death will be Harry’s arse. The press will love that.”

“Lou, Love, shut up.” Eleanor laughs. “Unlike somebody, Harry has maintained a pristine physique.”

“Why thank you El.” Harry grins. “You hear that you old codger? Your wife says I’m hotter than you.”

“Niall! Defend me here!” Louis whines.

“You’re very pretty Louis. I love what you’ve done with your man tits.” Niall cackles.

“I hate you all.” Louis pouts, dropping his head back onto the floor.

“Do you need anything before you go Love?” Niall asks Eleanor.

“The number of whatever trainer you two are using.” Eleanor giggles. “For me of course, definitely not my husband.”

“I’ll text it to you in the morning.” Niall nods. “He does miracles. And if you like him, he also does ‘My parent and Me’ classes.”

“Thank you Niall.” El says, leaning over to peck him on the cheek and whispers “Call me some time this week if he okays it. I’ll have Louis set everything up for her. We can take her overnight too if you like.”

“Will do.” Niall nods.

“Louis, come get Parker and carry him to the car.” Eleanor smiles. “I’ll grab our things.”

Harry lets Louis off the floor and he grabs their son and carries him out with an exaggerated pout he aims at Harry and Niall in turn. Eleanor fishes out their coats and presents and leaves with a kiss on Harry’s cheek and a meaningful look at Niall. Harry walks her to the door and waves his goodbyes, but Niall stays on the couch because Addison is finally asleep. Harry comes back, sits next to him gently and asks “What were you two talking about?”

“You, me, us. How Addi looks like a little clone of you. How Louis is a prat. The usual.” Niall laughs softly. “She noticed we were off.”

“I thought we did pretty well after this morning.” Harry pouts.

“We did Haz.” Niall says, slowly pulling a hand out from under Addi to stroke his cheek. “But you can’t tell me you felt like today went perfectly. I know you better than anyone else on Earth. I can tell when you’re upset, or sad, or happy just by glancing in your general direction. You were upset all day, even if you hid it well.”

“I just- I need to tell you something. It’s big, and I don’t know how you’re going to react.” Harry sighs.

Niall stiffens, fearing the worst. “Can we uh- can we put Addi to bed before we have a big talk?”

“Yeah.” Harry says quietly, nodding a little. “Yeah, we can do that.”

Niall stands up on shaky legs, taking a second to right himself before walking to Addi’s room. Harry follows behind him, quieter than Niall has ever known him to be. They settle her on her back, each giving her a kiss on the forehead, and then they leave quietly. Niall makes sure to flip on the baby monitor before he closes the door, just in case. Addison almost always sleeps through the night now, but occasionally she doesn’t and Niall needs to be able to hear her if she goes off.

They walk back to the kitchen because Niall still needs to put things away. It turns out that between what he made and what other people brought, they had more than enough to feed everyone. Now he has to find a way to jam it all back into the fridge. Niall grabs his half empty beer off the counter and chugs it down while Harry says “Niall-”

“Did you cheat on me Haz?” Niall blurts out the question before he can stop himself.

“What? Niall, no! I would never do that.” Harry says worriedly, wrapping his arms around Niall’s shoulders. “It’s nothing like that. I promise.”

“Do you have cancer?” Niall asks. “Or something else? Are you sick?”

“No.” Harry sighs, dropping his forehead against Niall’s. “Can I just talk?”

“Yeah, sorry.” Niall mumbles, relieved that the two things he was most worried about aren’t what Harry has to say.

“I want another baby.” Harry tells him quietly.

Niall feels like he’s gone numb. He pushes Harry back, stepping around the counter to brace himself. “I- you- No!” Niall yells. “No Haz. That isn’t going to happen. I can’t raise two kids by myself because you’re back and forth to L.A. all the time. Just- No.”

“Niall-” Harry starts.

“How could you even think I would agree to that?” Niall asks, cutting him off before he can say something else completely inane. “In what world do I deserve that?”

“Niall-” Harry tries again.

“It’s ludicrous. And to ask it today of all days. Like we didn’t have a huge fight about this exact thing this morning. Did you even hear anything I was saying, or does it all just go in one ear and out the other?” Niall spits.

“Niall, God damn it, just listen to me!” Harry roars. “I want another baby. I want a big family like we always used to talk about. And I want to stay here with you.”

“For what, a couple months at a time?” Niall asks angrily.

“Permanently.” Harry says simply. “I want to retire and spend the rest of my life raising a family with you. I want this life with you more than I want to keep writing songs for other people to sing. I’m taking myself off the fence.”

“What are you talking about?” Niall asks, not understanding a word Harry is saying anymore.

“I’ve been sitting on the fence for a long time Niall, one leg in this life with you, and one in the world we used to live in. I wasn’t ready to give it up yet, but I am now.” Harry explains.

“I don’t believe you Harry.” Niall says quietly.

“Ni, I promise, I’m all in now.” Harry tells him gently, walking around the counter so he can wrap his arm around Niall. “I’m all in.”

“Well silly me, because I thought you were all in for the last three years.” Niall scoffs. “I thought that when you put this ring, this one right here, on my finger, it meant that you were all in. I thought that when you told me the first time that you wanted a kid, that you were all in. I’ve thought you were all in this entire time, because I thought that it hurt you as much as it did me when you run off to produce for people. I guess not.”

“It does Ni.” Harry sighs. “It sucked before Addi was born, but it was so much worse this time. We couldn’t have late night phone calls. You couldn’t fly out on a whim. We fell apart, and the one thing I can never let happen again is that. I need me and you to be Haz and Ni. I need our family to be a family. I’m the only thing keeping that from happening. I’m the one who has been making all the mistakes and taking the wrong steps in this relationship.

“I want to make up for that. I want to be a better husband for you, and father for our daughter. I’m trying here Niall. I’m done having myself split open because I can’t decide. I choose you. I choose you and I’m all in.” Harry says, turning Niall around to look him in the eye.

“I can’t have another baby with you right now Harry.” Niall whispers. “I can’t do that until I know you’re here to stay.”

“Will you at least consider it?” Harry asks hopefully.

"I’ll consider it, yes." Niall agrees. “But I need to know you’re committed to it, to us, first. I need to know you’re not going to go running off anymore and leave me to hold everything together. I need time.”

“I can give you time.” Harry smiles.

“El offered to watch Addi for a whole day. I think we should take them up on it. We need to try and get back in the swing of things. I think we need to be alone to try and get us back. To talk and remember who we are as a couple.” Niall says quietly. “I need some time with my husband.”

“That sounds brilliant.” Harry grins. “Can we do it in a few days though? I’m not ready to let Addi go for a whole day yet. Not now that I finally get to hold her again.”

“I figured as much.” Niall shrugs. “It’s open ended, but I think we should do it soon. I don’t know how many days I can do like this one.”

“Things will be easier tomorrow. It’ll just be the three of us. No screaming family members. No cooking all day. Just you and me and our beautiful daughter.” Harry says softly. “We can wear our pajamas and take a long bath. We’ll watch old black and white movies with popcorn and your secret stash of sweets. And best of all, your balls won’t be so backed up.”

“Git.” Niall laughs, pushing at Harry’s chest.

“Niall please, I want to make love to my husband.” Harry says softly. “I want to feel you inside me. I want you to hold my hand while I tell you how beautiful you are. I want to be as close to you as humanly possible. I don’t even care about doing the thing I like, because you only pretend to like it and all I want is to be with you.”

“I don’t pretend to like it.” Niall shrugs. “I like it because you like it.”

“That’s not the point Ni. I want something simple and sweet, not dirty.” Harry smiles. “Just you and me with nothing between us. Not an ocean, not a condom, not a toy or a scarf or a shred of clothing. I want to touch you and feel you and love you. Don’t make a joke out of that. Don’t make fun of me for it.”

“I didn’t make fun of you for wanting to be with me Haz.” Niall says quietly, lifting up on his toes to kiss Harry on the lips. “I made fun of you for saying my balls are backed up.”

“Well that’s fine then.” Harry smiles. He lifts Niall up onto the counter, bringing him exactly up to Harry’s height. Harry sidles right up to the counter and then pulls Niall forward until their torsos are perfectly flush. They’re so close that they’re splitting the oxygen between them, breathing in short anticipatory pants. Harry locks his eyes with Niall’s staring so deep into him that he would blush if they hadn’t done this for so many years. Instead of making him embarrassed, it just makes him feel a radiating kind of love.

Harry’s hand touches Niall’s cheek at the same time that Niall cups Harry’s. It’s warm and soft, familiar in the best way possible. He’s not sure if it’s him or Harry who leans in first, or if it happens at the same time. All he knows is that he finally feels right when they kiss. Something between them slides into sync. Every ounce of frustration and fear and loneliness drains out of him, disappearing into thin air. 

Harry’s tongue slides across the seam of Niall’s lips and he opens up, letting his husband’s hand curl around the back of his neck at the same time. He doesn’t want to struggle for dominance, just wants to go with the flow of things. His hand grips Harry’s waist, rubbing slow circles in his hip with his thumb. He feels a moan slip loose, but Harry swallows it with a smirk against Niall’s lips before refocusing.

It’s not a slow, lazy, all morning long kiss. It’s not needy and desperate snogging in the dressing room at a venue. It’s not a nearly platonic peck because neither of them have brushed their teeth and they’re both exhausted. It’s an all consuming kiss that obliterates nine weeks of pain. It’s coming home after a long trip, butterflies in your stomach, true fucking love, in the form of a kiss.

“Bed?” Niall mumbles against Harry’s lips. Harry doesn’t answer in words, instead choosing to plant a hand under each cheek of Niall’s bum and lifting him up. Niall wraps his legs around Harry’s waist, giggling as his husband stumbles through the hallway. They barge through the door and Harry trips on some clothes on the floor. Niall just barely lands on the bed, Harry coming down hard on top of him. 

He wastes no time whining about the impact, deciding to rip open Harry’s shirt with his hands. Buttons scatter on the floor and Niall tears the fabric down Harry’s shoulders. “Take off your bloody shirt.” Niall groans when he can’t get it any further off.

“Eager, aren’t you?” Harry smirks.

“Nine weeks and one orgasm.” Niall glares. “Nine weeks and I haven’t been able to see your stupid tattoos or feel your oddly hairless chest. Nine weeks and I-”

“I get it.” Harry groans, standing up and shedding his shirt. “The last nine weeks sucked, but it’s over now.”

He makes to undo his trousers, but Niall sits up and bats his hands out of the way. He looks up at his husband and smiles. “Let me.”

Harry gulps and nods, his eyes dark. Niall unbuttons the jeans, sliding them down Harry’s thighs. He runs his hands over them, barely touching his fingertips and tracing lines up to the hem of Harry’s briefs. His cock is completely visible, pressed to his thigh by the tight boxer-briefs. Niall ignores it for now, pressing soft feather-light kisses right above the waistband. Harry groans, curling his fingers into Niall’s too-long hair.

Niall pulls the pants down as slowly as possible, smirking at the way Harry’s knees almost buckle when his prick finally springs free, smacking the blond in the cheek with a wet thumping sound. Niall wants to laugh, but he doesn’t get the chance before Harry grabs the fabric bunching up on his shoulders and tugs up. His jumper slides off easily enough once he figures out what’s going on, Harry nodding his approval. He pushes Niall back onto the bed and hooks two fingers under both sides of the blond’s trousers.

Niall doesn’t even have time to process what’s happening by the time Harry climbs on top of him. He only knows his pants are off by the press of Harry’s cock against his. “Okay, one fast and dirty, and then one slow and sweet.” Harry says quickly, sucking bruises into Niall’s neck in between words.

“That- I- I like that plan.” Niall nods frantically.

“Oh thank god.” Harry giggles. “Slow and sweet would have ended way too quickly otherwise. I’m way too desperate for this to do a slow shag right now.”

“Me too.” Niall admits. “I don’t think I’ll last five minutes honestly.”

“Then do you mind if we just skip straight to the main event?” Harry asks. “Foreplay just seems cruel right now.”

“What about-” Niall starts.

“Been preparing myself for days.” Harry grins. “That won’t take but a minute.”

“Good god.” Niall moans, intensely aroused by the thought of his husband fucking himself onto his fingers, nearly nine thousand kilometers away, just to get ready for him.

“I’ll take care of that, because you’ll get carried away.” Harry laughs. He grinds down on Niall’s cock and says “You just get this ready and make sure you don’t go off prematurely.”

“That was never my problem.” Niall groans, rutting up against Harry as if his body is trying to prove him wrong. “In fact, it was yours, if I recall correctly. You always got overexcited.”

“Hey.” Harry whines. “That was a long time ago.”

“Are we going to talk, or are we going to shag?” Niall asks with a huff. “Because if you’re going to whinge all night, then I’m just going to take care of myself.”

“Don’t you dare.” Harry growls, leaning back in to bite down harshly on Niall’s shoulder. Niall can’t stifle the moan he lets out. He can feel Harry’s smirk against his skin before he pulls back and says “I got you off earlier. The least you can do is put up with my whinging.”

“Haz, I swear to god.” Niall hisses. “I love you, but I am so horny I actually feel physically close to dying from it.”

“Then we should remedy that.” Harry giggles. He flops onto his side, wiggling his way up the bed to go through the drawer. He fishes out their lube with a triumphant laugh and that dopey grin that makes Niall smile every single time he sees it. He flips over onto his back, squirting lube onto his fingers and then tossing the bottle to Niall. “Do. Not. Cum.”

Niall rolls his eyes and then lubes up his hand. He wraps it around himself loosely, groaning at the feeling. Each tug is languid, slow and deliberate strokes to coat himself. Harry may not have been overly worried after all. Niall feels himself edging towards the abyss already, and it’s only been a minute. A sharp pain rocks his shoulder and he flinches. “Niall James Horan-Styles, I will never forgive you if you keep going.” Harry hisses.

“Then you should get over here already.” Niall sighs, taking his hand off his cock.

“Just- oh god- Just one more minute.” Harry moans.

Niall watches him, the slow easy slide of Harry’s long fingers disappearing inside himself. He’s working up to three which means he’s probably ready, but Niall doesn’t say anything because it’s too hot to ask him to stop. Harry’s hips twitch, little spasms when he pushes down on his fingers. His hair is still pulled back out of his face in a bun that got gradually messier through the day, giving Niall an unobstructed view of the way his eyes flutter, softly and unseeing. His lips are parted with his tongue peeking out in the corner, caught between his teeth. He looks so beautiful this way, spread out and caught somewhere between being greedy, and being soft and gentle.

“Get over here.” Harry pants, still thrusting his fingers inside himself. “Get over here and fuck me.”

Niall nods, crawling up the mattress towards his husband. Harry pulls his legs back and Niall settles in between them. He goes to line himself up and Harry pulls his fingers, guiding Niall inside. Niall tries to go slowly, letting himself savor the slow clench of his husband around him, but Harry hooks his legs around the blond and pulls him all the way inside. “Quick and dirty, Niall.” Harry moans. “Quick and dirty.”

“Quick and dirty.” Niall agrees. He leans down, pressing his torso flat against Harry’s. It takes a moment for his to get his bearings, but he soon sets a quick pace. His hips snap forward and back rapidly, pumping deeper into his husband with each thrust. He feels his orgasm starting up after only a couple minutes. “Do you want me to-”

“No.” Harry says, shaking his head and moaning. “Just keep going like that. I’m so close Ni. So- oh god.”

Harry shoots without any more warning. His body goes rigid, his head snapping back as he chokes out a moan. Niall keeps up the motion of his hips, fucking Harry through his orgasm while also letting his own go. He keeps up the angle until his muscles scream at him to relax and he drops forward onto Harry’s chest. He takes a moment to breathe and then chuckles and says “Can’t remember the last time you came without touching your prick.”

“October thirteenth, two-thousand-and-seventeen.” Harry mumbles. “That time we fucked in the over-water bungalow in Thailand.”

“How do you even know that off the top of your head?” Niall asks.

“It’s my go to.” Harry says with a shrug. “Nearly every time I wank, that’s what I think about.”

“Oh.” Niall responds with a giggle.

“Let’s go take a shower now.” Harry says, lifting a hand up to stroke through Niall’s hair. “We have so much more to do, and we should be clean to do it.”

“Good idea.” Niall agrees. “Can we wait a minute though?”

“Any particular reason?” Harry asks.

“This is what I missed most. All the time you were gone, I could live without the sex, without being able to talk to you every second, but losing this is what almost broke me. Laying here and feeling you breathing. Feeling your heartbeat and holding you. I missed this the most.” Niall admits quietly.

“Me too.” Harry tells him, pressing a kiss into Niall’s hair. “I missed my big spoon.”

“We’re not spooning.” Niall points out.

“You know what I mean.” Harry pouts.

“I do.” Niall laughs. “I just love seeing you pout like that. You’re as cute today as you were ten years ago, bouncing around on the X-Factor stage.”

“You’ve gotten cuter.” Harry says with a smile. “Although I do miss those teeth sometimes. They had character.”

“You are so weird.” Niall scoffs. He sighs and pulls out of Harry, wincing at the tight clenching on his oversensitive prick, and then again when he looks down and sees his own cum dripping out of his husband’s hole. “We can go shower now.”

“Oh thank god.” Harry sighs contentedly. “This mess is getting cold. Not that I didn’t like you holding me, but we have time for that later. Hell, we can do it in the shower, once my stomach isn’t covered in cold cum.”

“I’ll go get it started.” Niall laughs. “You wipe off.”

“Deal.” Harry nods, his face serious as if they aren’t talking about cleaning up jizz.

Niall bites back a laugh and tosses Harry the towel he’d left on the floor earlier. It’s a bit damp still, but it will work for this. He needs to wipe off his own stomach as well, but he’s not nearly as drenched as Harry is, so he can walk without it dripping everywhere. He turns on the hot water and then grabs a hand towel to clean himself. Harry walks in behind him and latches himself onto Niall’s back. Blessedly, his stomach is free of cum when he does. “Missed you.” Harry mumbles into his neck.

“I’ve been gone for thirty seconds Harry.” Niall laughs. He covers Harry’s hands with his own, sliding his fingers in between his husband’s. “I missed you too though.”

“We should get in the shower.” Harry says.

“Probably.” Niall shrugs.

“That would mean moving though.” Harry sighs.

“Are you that tired?” Niall asks. “Do we need to put off slow and sweet?”

“Not on your life.” Harry laughs. “I just like standing here with you. I’m going to ride you for hours, don’t you worry about that.”

“Well we either have to get in the shower or put it off.” Niall giggles.

“Carry me.” Harry says, pressing a smile into Niall’s neck.

Niall rolls his eyes, fighting back a grin, and says “Hop on then.”

Harry squeals, bracing his hands on Niall’s shoulders and jumping onto his back. Niall stumbles into the shower, somehow remaining upright, and groans when he realizes he never turned off the rain shower. The entire floor is slippery and he almost falls. Harry’s legs drop off his hips and he steadies them though. He keeps Niall upright when he should be flat on his arse. It’s the way they’ve always been. They lean on each other for support. It’s just- It’s just that they’re Harry and Niall, Niall and Harry. This is how Niall and Harry are. They arse around constantly, they get in big angry fights, they support each other to the end.

Niall turns around in Harry’s arms, making sure never to let his husband’s hold on him break. He circles his arms around Harry’s neck, leaning up to peck him on the lips. “You good with the rain shower? I can switch it back to the other nozzles.”

“This is perfect.” Harry grins.

It takes them a few minutes to do anything other than kiss slowly, just feeling each other under the warm spray. Eventually they gather their heads enough to start washing themselves, or more accurately, each other. They run loofahs over each other’s torsos and backs. Harry has a particularly good time cleaning Niall’s prick, giggling that he needs it completely clean if it’s going in his mouth. “Sucking dick is less slow and sweet, and more quick and dirty.” Niall points out.

“Are you saying you don’t want me to do it Niall?” Harry asks, staring up at Niall with an expectant look.

“I’m just saying that I’ve cum twice today, each in under five minutes.” Niall laughs. “I’m afraid slow and sweet might become quick and disappointing for you if you do that. Never was good at holding back when you do that. It’s your bloody lips.”

“Oh.” Harry says with a goofy grin. “Well then, we can hold off on that for now I guess. Don’t be surprised if I wake you up with it though.”

“Like you’ll wake up before me.” Niall scoffs. “If I’m lucky she’ll sleep until her usual time because she got worn out today, but I’ll probably have to get up in about seven and a half hours, so we should get going on slow and sweet or else I’ll be slow and grouchy tomorrow.”

“Alright.” Harry grins. “I am very okay with that.”

He stands up and turns off the nozzle. Niall opens up the shower door and gropes for the towels on the rack. He hands one to Harry and uses the other to dry himself. Harry has a cheeky smile on his face the whole time. He reaches back and pulls out his bun, letting his hair flow back down over his shoulders. Half of it is still dry because its so thick the water couldn’t get through it all, creating a rather interesting effect. He reaches back out and drops the towel on the floor, pressing Niall into the wall. Their bodies are flush and the height difference between Niall and his husband has never felt more obvious than at this moment.

Harry wraps a strong hand around the back of Niall’s neck, pulling him in for a deep kiss while his other hand grabs the towel and throws it out the door. “Bed now please.” he mumbles against Niall’s lips.

Niall nods, not breaking the kiss as they slowly shuffle backwards until the back of his knees hit the bed. Harry keeps him standing with one hand pressed flat against his back. Niall feels Harry’s thigh press against him as he steadies one knee on the bed. He gently lays Niall down, never letting their lips part as he straddles over Niall’s stomach. “God, I love you so fucking much.” Harry whispers, pressing his forehead into Niall’s.

“I love you too.” Niall tells him, tucking his hair behind his ear and cupping his cheek. “God help me, I love you Harry Styles.”

“Harry Horan-Styles.” Harry mumbles, pressing their lips back together. “Don’t know why that’s so hard for you after three years.”

“Because Harry Horan sounds as stupid as Niall Styles.” Niall laughs. “Louis was right, we sound like Doctor Seuss characters. We should have just kept our names.”

“I like being Doctor Seuss characters with you.” Harry grins.

“I like it too.” Niall admits. “I’ll deny it to my grave if you ever tell anyone that I said that, but I like it too.”

“I’ll keep your secret Niall Styles.” Harry says with a smile.

“Niall Horan-Styles.” Niall corrects with a giggle, pressing his lips back against Harry’s.

Harry links his fingers with Niall’s, holding his hands down against the bed as he pushes back onto Niall’s hips. “I’m going to let you go now, but only for a second so you can move up the bed, alright?” Harry asks after a few minutes of kissing Niall like nothing else in the world matters.

“Okay.” Niall says with a nod.

Harry lifts his hips up, spreading his legs so Niall can scoot up the bed until he’s laid back against the pillows. Harry crawls up towards him and Niall can’t help but eye the way his cock bobs up and down with every move. He makes sure to push his own into it when Harry passes over him, eliciting a moan that has his husband biting down on his lip to keep from getting too loud. He resumes his previous position, straddling over Niall’s hips and rubbing back against his cock, leaving the blond to be the one trying to stifle a moan.

Harry helps with that, smothering any noise Niall is making with his mouth. “You gotta be quiet Ni. Otherwise I’ll get riled up and this won’t be sweet as much as dirty again. I really want it to be sweet.” Harry mumbles.

“I’ll do my best.” Niall says weakly. “But you gotta stop teasing me like that.”

“I’ll do my best.” Harry mocks, even as he pushes his hips back again.

He re-pins Niall’s hands behind his head, pushing hard, but not hard enough to hurt. His fingers lace through Niall’s and he rocks his hips back and forth, grinding down onto Niall in complete defiance of his own words. “God you feel so good Babes. So fucking good.” Harry pants.

“You know, it would feel better-” Niall starts.

“I’m well aware.” Harry smirks, cutting Niall off before he can be cheeky. “I like this though, having you pressed up against me.”

“You like teasing me.” Niall sighs.

“And you like me teasing you.” Harry giggles. “I know it, and you know it, and even if you won’t say it, it’s true.”

“You’re so mean.” Niall says with a pout.

“You threatened to divorce me for a teenager like twelve hours ago.” Harry scoffs.

“A teenager would get on with things instead of torturing me.” Niall says with a slight glare. “He’d be eager to please.”

“Nobody would please you like I do.” Harry says with a frown.

“Prove it then.” Niall offers in challenge.

“Oh I’ll prove it.” Harry says, reaching over to grab the bottle of lube from where Niall had left it.

“Don’t make this angry sex Haz.” Niall sighs. “Slow and sweet, remember?”

“I can make this slow and sweet, and still give you an orgasm that’ll make you black out for a moment.” Harry says with a smirk.

He coats his hand in liquid, reaching back to tug slowly on Niall’s prick. It’s like fire and ice running through Niall’s veins, igniting him with something far different than his own hand had. He can keep his orgasm in check well enough, but it just reminds him of everything he’s missed out on for the last nine weeks. Harry is great with his hands.

He lets go of Niall relatively quickly, but keeps his hand behind himself. He lets out a moan and Niall realizes he’s fingering himself again. He grunts for a second and then readjusts so his hand can go in between his legs. Niall can tell Harry is enjoying it by how much he starts leaking. He’s about to say something to the effect of ‘Hurry the hell up’ but Harry grabs him and guides him in.

He sinks all the way down before Niall can say a word. He doesn’t move his hips by even an inch, clenching his legs so Niall can’t either. His fingers lace through Niall’s, pressing them back down over his head again. Finally he moves, just fractions of an inch before sliding back down, taking slow to a whole new level. His hair is hanging down around his face, curtains of dark brown curling on his shoulders and forehead. His eyes are shut lightly and his lips just slightly parted. 

He looks like an angel, or a prince out of a fairy tale. It’s a strange thought to have about your husband when he’s riding your dick, but it’s exactly how Niall sees him. He can’t stop himself when he says “You look so beautiful Harry.”

“That was supposed to be my line.” Harry says with a soft smile.

“It’s better coming from me.” Niall says quietly. “Because you- you are absolutely gorgeous.”

Harry doesn’t say anything, letting a deep kiss do all his talking for him. He lays down on top of Niall, pushing back so he’s still fucking himself onto the blond. Everything seems to move at half-speed for a while, time passing so slowly that it’s almost infuriating. Niall was never a huge advocate for being slow, preferring to take everything as fast and hard as he can in every aspect of his life.

He lets Harry have this though, the Christmas present he couldn’t buy in a store. It takes most of his willpower to keep his hips still, to keep from fucking his husband properly. It makes his orgasm slow, building like a fire made from rubbing two sticks together rather than the match-meeting-gasoline he normally experiences when they do this. “You just want to cum, don’t you?” Harry asks, his eyes curious.

“No.” Niall fibs. “Love having you like this.”

The last part isn’t a lie, per se, but it’s not the whole truth either. He loves the passion they share, the frenzied way they make love until neither of them can move afterwards. He loves to hear Harry moan and beg for more, and he loves obliging the request. He loves this too, but not in the same way. It’s not enough after so long. “Lying is going to make me go slower, Ni.” Harry tells him, keeping true to his word and almost stilling his hips.

“Ugh- fine!” Niall groans. “Yes, I want to cum, but I can wait.”

“I can speed up a bit if you like.” Harry offers, picking his hips up and dropping them back with a little more fervor than before.

“However you want it Haz.” Niall moans. “Just like having you this close again.”

“Like this, then?” Harry asks, picking up his speed a bit more and setting a steady rhythm.

“God.” Niall groans. “You feel so bloody good Babe.”

“So do you.” Harry mumbles. “My fingers have nothing on the way you fill me up.”

Niall’s cock jumps at that, twitching wildly inside Harry. Of course the brunet smirks at that. Niall notices the brush of fingers grating against his stomach and looks down to find Harry wanking himself off. “Let me.” Niall tells him, taking over when Harry’s hand falls away.

The weight of it is familiar in his hand, flooding him with memories going back nearly ten years. Their first time, nervous and giggling in a hotel room in a city far away from home, though Niall can’t remember which. All the times on the tour buses, in venue loos, anywhere they could find. Their wedding night those three years ago. It hits him like a truck, bringing him right to the edge. He screws his eyes tight, trying his best to force his orgasm back down. It’s not working though so he has to choke out a “Haz, stop!”

“It’s okay Babe.” Harry says gently. He knocks Niall’s hand away from himself and continues the work he’s doing with his hips. “You can cum.”

“Fuck!” Niall grunts, letting go of the last vestiges of his control. His orgasm rips through him, even stronger than the other two have been. His whole body rides it out, finally pushing up into his husband while he pulls him in closer to kiss him desperately. His hips snap erratically, pumping himself in harder than he means to, but the moans he swallows from Harry let him know it’s okay. More than okay given the way Harry starts cumming in streams that cover Niall’s stomach. He waits until Harry finishes and then sighs a quick “’M sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Harry laughs. “’T was good.”

“Yeah, but I ruined it.” Niall admits. “I wanted you to have what you wanted, but my cock wouldn’t let it happen.”

“I have what I want right here.” Harry says softly, cupping his dry hand around Niall’s cheek. “We have all the time in the world for me to ride you all night. It doesn’t need to be perfect to be exactly what I wanted.”

“You’re still a sop.” Niall groans. “I had hoped two months in the most soulless city on the planet would have cured you of that.”

“Can’t cure something that isn’t wrong.” Harry grins.

“Damn.” Niall chuckles. “Guess I’ll just have to put up with it for another fifty or sixty years then.”


End file.
